RIP Slasher

Mandle · Sat 12/08/2023 16:58:26

RIP Slasher.

It has just been recently confirmed that Slasher is no longer with us. He passed away from a heart attack last year.

The man was a pillar of this community and a great and unique friend to many of us.

I created this thread separate to the thread that was looking into his sudden disappearance as a place where people could be more aware of his passing and add their comments if they hadn't known.

Have at it, and also be aware that the man himself wouldn't want this to be a solemn place, and for people to have a bit of fun with it all, and I'll start it off by saying:

Slasher, your grammar and spelling were atrocious, and I just had to contact you and ask if I could correct the whole mess, which led us down a years-long journey where I copy edited your games. When I finally had to leave that position, as I was becoming responsible for paid jobs doing the same thing, I was scared that you might be upset, but all you said was, "Go for it, mate! I understand. Go make a million dollars!"

Well, I didn't make a million dollars, but I never forgot how gracious you were.

Okay, goodbye, you cunt. Great to have known you.

Laura Hunt · Sat 12/08/2023 18:00:16

I would lie if I said Slasher and I got along. In fact, we butted heads quite strongly a couple of times.

And yet, in my very very very early days as an AGS newbie, he showed me a silly trick that I still use to this day. So no matter what, there's a tiny part of him in all my games.

Rest in peace, you goddamned boomer.

CaptainD · Sat 12/08/2023 20:19:24

I've known Les since about 2010, when I first worked with him on a game. Since then he had an incredible output of games, not only in quantity but in terms of game style - he would give anything a try in AGS. Game creation was as Mandle alluded to previously a way for him to battle back from having a stroke, but I don't think he realised what a big part of his life it would become. Almost every game could be instantly linked to a strong inspiration but among all the smaller games, he occasionally took on quite big and ambitious projects. I had the pleasure of helping him with a number of games, sometimes as a tester, voice actor or designer. He was always full of ideas and didn't have any delusions of grandeur - he just found great delight in making games.

He was fond of a conspiracy theory (I was never quite sure how seriously he took them) but the concept gave rise to what was I think supposed to be his magnum opus - Maelstrom Obscura. When he started making it, he did mention to me that he expected it to be his final game because his health was deteriorating. Sadly the Kickstarter wasn't successful and, although he was going to do a second campaign, I guess failing health just caught up with him. and it never happened.

A worthy Lifetime Achievement winner, Les will be remembered not to one brilliant game but for a huge number of games, which gradually showcased his growing confidence with AGS, and as an important member of the AGS community. He began by asking a million questions, but gradually became someone who often offered advice and encouragement to newer members. The forums won't be the same without him.

Ponch · Sat 12/08/2023 22:12:55

RIP, dude.

Stupot · Sat 12/08/2023 22:23:44

There was a stretch of time where Slasher was almost single-handedly keeping MAGS afloat. I'd have to go back and check the numbers but he may well be the person who won the most contests, purely by being the only entrant so many times. And yet right up to the end he insisted on calling it MAG.

He kept his graphics fairly simple but no two of his games looked or played the same and many of them were genuine fun.

I propose we, as a community, decide on our favourite 10 or so Slasher (barefoot/steptoe) games and put together a little bundle that could be featured prominently for a while.

Rest in peace, Les.

DBoyWheeler · Sun 13/08/2023 00:48:51

Crap! Another great lost.

AndreasBlack · Sun 13/08/2023 02:08:20

I must say i'm in

Like i've said he was one of the first to help me out when i knew nothing. Kinda sucks he doesn't get to witness the masterpiece i'm working on! My demo game that he wasn't impressed with he said something like "Well, that's a fairly basic puzzle" i actually laughed! I love honest people, most don't, but i do! It's refreshing. But i'm taking it places now. Re-mastered no longer 16 colors, lots of custom animations, etc. I'm sure he's looking down and thinking. You're insane! The massive amounts of questions i had in the beginnings. I remember him saying something like "Well...that was a mouthful"

Only today i've probably recorded 70 voiceclips, cut & pasted together takes to get one good full voiceclip and ai:ed them with a friend's voice, since i'm another character in the game! This is just one of the first rooms of the game and i'm already up at 93 voices for his character!

Hope you'll like it wherever you are Slasher! You will definately be in the credits in the future! R.I.P

Danvzare · Sun 13/08/2023 12:10:33

I've already said my part in the other thread, so I'll refrain from repeating myself here.
Instead I'll share another story. I'll never forgot when I helped someone else add some voice acting to their game "10 Ways to Sunday" and it got nominated for best voice work... because Slasher also did some voice acting for it.

So whenever I see that little silver icon beneath my avatar, I'm always reminded of him. I've never made a game worthy of being nominated, but thanks to him it looks like I have.

Creamy · Sun 13/08/2023 18:21:24

Farewell, man of a thousand games.

Tabata · Sun 13/08/2023 18:31:07

So sad to see someone else left that way

RIP Slasher

Pax Animo · Sun 13/08/2023 21:17:45

I enjoyed his quirky games.

RIP fella.

CrashPL · Mon 14/08/2023 13:36:36

It's always gut-wrenching to see this kind of outcome when folks try to contact someone who suddenly went quiet...

I can't say I really knew Les, as we never talked, but man -- I always admired his energy and motivation to work on so many games despite his age or health problems. As somebody already mentioned - MAGS will definitely feel different without his quirky little games.

Another great loss to the AGS community. Rest in peace, Les.

Sinitrena · Mon 14/08/2023 14:15:48

I guess in a way it was expected when he wasn't around for so long after being so active before.

I can't say I knew Slasher well. I played a couple of his games, and enjoyed them overall. There are still so many left to try, but it would have been nice to get a couple hundred more from Slasher. He was so full of ideas, he brought so many stories to the screen.

RIP Slasher. You'll be missed.

Cassiebsg · Mon 14/08/2023 20:24:34

We colab in a few games where I did graphics for his game... but boy did he annoyed me sometimes by requesting hard to do BGs (making me do more work on a BG that I couldn't see how it would possible look better) and then end up using a grab from an online reference pic in game.... or using an unfinished BG when I specifically told him I wasn't finished, and just wanted some feedback to improve it... or picking a sprite and distorting it to fit his "size" (instead of asking me to rendered it again at a bigger size)... but I'll still miss him and his horde of games.

And I'll start by nominating Deadly consequences to the "10 slasher favorite pack".

Was the first game I played of his and I really enjoyed and it's puzzles.

Cheers, and continue game making in the great beyond!

RIP

cat · Mon 14/08/2023 20:33:28

Slasher was certainly one of the most prolific game developers in this forum. When he started to enter MAGS, he became even more productive and made so many games in his very own style. Sure, they were not the prettiest ones and his GUIs were often insane, but one thing they had in common: They were always fun to play.

We were both part of a team for a MAGS game, and it was great working with him. He was creative, coming up with ideas and always positive.

It's sad to think that I won't be playing any Slasher games for next year's MAGGIES voting.

RIP Slasher

bicilotti · Mon 14/08/2023 21:31:28

I did not know Slasher very well. The sheer amount of games listed in his profile — eighty-seven! — and the kind words in this thread show how he valued the community and the commuinity valued him back.

DBoyWheeler · Mon 14/08/2023 23:43:36

Quote from: bicilotti on Mon 14/08/2023 21:31:28I did not know Slasher very well. The sheer amount of games listed in his profile — eighty-seven! — and the kind words in this thread show how he valued the community and the commuinity valued him back.

87 games?!

Dang!

This makes his passing even more devastating. To think how much more he could've accomplished, had he had more time in this world...

Creamy · Mon 14/08/2023 23:54:47

Quote from: CassiebsgWe colab in a few games where I did graphics for his game... but boy did he annoyed me sometimes by requesting hard to do BGs (making me do more work on a BG that I couldn't see how it would possible look better) and then end up using a grab from an online reference pic in game.... or using an unfinished BG when I specifically told him I wasn't finished, and just wanted some feedback to improve it... or picking a sprite and distorting it to fit his "size" (instead of asking me to rendered it again at a bigger size)... but I'll still miss him and his horde of games.

I was under the impression that he never came back to his MAGS games after the month was over.
I sometimes wished he would skip some competitions to polish his most promising ideas, but everyone does as they like.

Dr. Chuckles' miniature world of madness is one of my favorites from Slasher.

Mandle · Tue 15/08/2023 00:03:48

Quote from: Cassiebsg on Mon 14/08/2023 20:24:34We colab in a few games where I did graphics for his game... but boy did he annoyed me sometimes by requesting hard to do BGs (making me do more work on a BG that I couldn't see how it would possible look better) and then end up using a grab from an online reference pic in game.... or using an unfinished BG when I specifically told him I wasn't finished, and just wanted some feedback to improve it... or picking a sprite and distorting it to fit his "size" (instead of asking me to rendered it again at a bigger size)... but I'll still miss him and his horde of games.

HAHAHA! Yup, that's Les all right! The same kind of stuff happened during my copy editing of his game texts. He would sometimes just rewrite pieces of text I had already corrected and signed off on without running them by me again. And those monstrosities would show up in the released games that had my name on them as copy editor, making it look like I had overlooked them.

However, it was that slap-dash "meh-good-enough" attitude of his that made him able to get so many projects finished instead of tweaking stuff for ages, or forever, like a lot of us have done. Kinda the Roger Corman (and sometimes the Ed Wood) of AGS in many ways. I think he either assumed others had similar attitudes about their efforts, or he just didn't care. He did have a very "take me or leave me" outlook, the old bugger.

I nominate "Condemned" for the potential Slasher 10-Pack.

The one with the death-row prisoners fighting to the death on the island. That's the game of his I worked on that I thought was the most complete story-wise, still great wacky fun, and still represented his style while being quite beautiful at times.

eri0o · Tue 15/08/2023 04:24:12

I really liked Food Wars, it starts really calm and then gets more intense - in the theme of nominating favorite games. We probably need to archive these games...

I always felt slasher games had heart - some terrible graphical choices at times, the non-adventure stuff could be very confusing, but games that didn't take themselves seriously, and that were finished and playable, and that often could make you smile.